to earn citizenship by paying taxes and passing a background check, among other requirements. >> this is not just a debate about policy. it's about people. >> reporter: mr. obama described a largely similar bipartisan plan in the senate as encouraging, but republicans are already warning the president that there are limits to their willingness to compromise. >> if this endeavor becomes a bidding war to see who can come up with the easiest, quickest and cheapest pathway to green card possible, this thing is not going to go well, folks. >> reporter: still, after winning more than 70% of the latino vote last november, the president's senior advisers say the white house is more than comfortable publicly pressuring republicans. >> and if congress is unable to move forward in a timely fashion, i will send up a bill based on my proposal and insist that they vote on it right away. >> reporter: among those moved by the promise of reform, luis and maria berahas, who acknowledge they came to the u.s. from mexico city 14 years ago. visiting from their home in california, their 22-year-old daughte